LA VERNE, Calif. – Linfield matched La Verne's 12 hits, but the Leopards scored 11 runs in the eighth inning to run away with a 16-5 ballgame to open a three-game series Thursday at Ben Hines Field.
The Wildcats trailed 3-0 before scoring their first runs of the game.
Cameron Skinner scored the first run in the sixth inning on an RBI triple down the right-field line by
Bodey Smith. The 'Cats picked up a second run in the seventh when
Jake Hoskins singled to center to send
Garrett Moen across the plate.
Despite the steep deficit, Linfield went down swinging in the ninth. Hoskins led off the inning with a single, leading to a pinch-hit two-run homer by
Nate Kassler. Two batters later, another catcher came off the bench to show off his power.
Cage Hardy replaced Smith, who was 3 for 4 on the day, and hit a solo shot over the fence for run No. 5.
Moen and Hoskins went 2 for 5 in the first two spots in the lineup. Hoskins is batting .471 with a .500 on-base percentage and a .647 slugging percentage in his first four games in a Linfield uniform. Hardy leads the team with five RBI while Hoskins and Moen have three apiece.
Cameron Slessor and Benny Vogel both drove in three runs for La Verne. Vogel was 2 for 5 while Slessor went 4 for 4 with three runs. The Leopards scored their 16 runs without hitting a home run.
Jackson Koons allowed three runs on five hits in his second start of the season for the 'Cats. He struck out two batters in four innings of work. The Leopards' Jaylen Fong earned his first win of the year. He fanned five Linfield batters in five innings pitch.
NEXT
Linfield (1-3) looks to even the series with La Verne on Friday. Game 2 will start at 2 p.m.
